


Broken pieces fit together

by meganechansan



Series: F.R.E.E Project [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: AU, M/M, Nitori is the strategist, Rin is a secret agent, SecretAgents!Au, i blame this all on my queen, inappropriate use of tags, previous physical abuse implied, they're kinda married but not really, yet - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-15
Updated: 2013-10-15
Packaged: 2017-12-29 11:24:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1004859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meganechansan/pseuds/meganechansan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin can see the way Nitori is trying to hide how his hands are still shaking but still, walks towards him with certain stiffness in his shoulders to try and calm him.</p><p>And him… He’s not good for Nitori.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Broken pieces fit together

**Author's Note:**

> Rintori angst because I'm a terrible person. For my torturer and muse. I love you babe.  
> Art by Eva, check out her art! evahamsterqueen on tumblr.

 

 

* * *

 

**Broken pieces fit together**

* * *

 

“Rin”

Rin is going to throw up. His hands are clenching the sides of his pants, his whole body shaking while his chest hurts so bad every single forced intake of breath burns its way down his lungs and his eyes sting.

He’s barely holding himself up and in an attempt at unconscious apology, lowers his eyes, biting his lip so hard he’s not surprised he feels the metallic taste of blood in his tongue.

“Rin, it’s okay.”

He winces, because Nitori’s words are trying to comfort him, he’s always trying to make it ok for Rin, but Rin knows better.

He saw the youngest flinch before, when Rin approached him. Still can notice the way he keeps fidgeting without really getting close to him and the way his voice can’t quite sound like it always does, so happy and melodic.

The way Nitori is trying to hide how his hands are still shaking but still, walks towards him with certain stiffness in his shoulders to try and calm Rin.

And him… He’s not good for Nitori.

Because Rin knows.

Nitori can look delicate on the outside, but Rin knows that the blue eyed boy is stronger than him. Has been through hell since he was little and is still capable of greeting Rin with a warm smile every morning, or yell at him in concern when he does something reckless while on missions. He knows that Nitori can defend himself perfectly, but prefers to stay at headquarters, being his guide and the voice next to his ear when he can’t trust on himself alone.

In the few months that he’s known him, Nitori has become a fixture in Rin’s life, always at his side until they couldn’t but start to notice some reactions when they were together, and the inevitable tension when they discovered they felt attracted to each other but he was too scared to put a name on it, so they started fooling around until it became more than just fooling, and they admitted maybe they were never ones to have casual sex because every time they’re together he can’t be satisfied until Nitori is sated and mindlessly happy because that makes him happy, and it frightens him just how much he has come to need Nitori’s satisfaction in every aspect, to feel at ease.

And so they know each other’s secrets and habits, and they are more domestic than what anyone would guess but only at the commodity of their apartment, because he’s jealous like that and likes to keep every one of Nitori’s reactions to himself.

But then today he had been shot on an assignment, an easy one to make it worse, and his bike had died on him, and if it wasn’t for Makoto and Haruka he would probably be dead so when he came to the apartment to find Nitori fussing about him and scolding him for dropping his earpiece and barging in the middle of the exchange, Rin is so tired and frustrated because it’s been a fucking rough day, Nitori!, so he takes Nitori’s wrist from where he’s been checking on his shoulder and pushes the strategist away from him.

Nitori stumbles back until his legs hits the sofa and he awkwardly plummets down on it, a whimper leaving his lips and draining the blood from Rin’s face, who hurriedly steps forward and tries to reach the other one to check on him, until he sees the brief flicker of fear and panic on Nitori’s eyes.

He knows, deep down he knows Nitori is not afraid of him, he’s never hurt his Aiichirou… -never would- but it’s the thought that he caused Ai to remember, that Rin was the cause of that brief memory, what makes him sick.

So for a while he stands frozen in the middle of their living room, until Nitori lets out a shaky breath and stands up.

“Rin, I’m fine, don’t beat yourself for no--“ his voice breaks, but he licks his lips and continues ”… I’m fine, see?“ Nitori tries to say casually, reaching to touch Rin’s cheek with a shaky laugh, and Rin’s insides twist in shame and guilt, because Nitori is too good for him.

“No. I—you trusted me with… you told me about your past and I can’t even manage to—“ Rin sighs, more frustrated than anything. “I can’t heal you Ai.” He says, a desperate confession in a whisper barely there but Nitori is too close, right in front of him and his shocked and pained expression tells him he’s right, and it pierces through his heart like no bullet could ever. “I can’t heal you. I’m so sorry.”

“Please…”

“I’m sorry Ai” He mutters, the knot in his throat making it quite the effort to say the words and he takes Nitori’s hand in his, eyes sliding away from his partner’s sad expression when he lowers their hands and lets him go, turning around and walking towards the door.

“Rin, wait—“

 

 

“I’ll… you can rest tonight, It must’ve been tiresome for you too.” He poorly attempts to smile, wincing when a brief flash of pain jarred the bruise on his cheek. He’s about to open the door when Nitori’s angry voice gets to his ears.

“Don’t you dare leave now.”

Rin’s eyes open wide and he turns around, facing a teary eyed, frowning Nitori.

“What?”

“You’re not listening to me.”

“I’m sorry about the earpiece—"

“I’m not talking about that!” Nitori yells and Rin jerks in surprise when a fist connects with his stomach, not too hard to make him double over, but still getting the little air he’s got out of him, making him cough.

“Ai… what-“

“I’ve been telling you all this time that I’m ok. I don’t need you running away just because I reacted like you were—“ the blue eyed boy falters, but shakes his head and looks through determined irises to Rin, poking Rin’s chest with his index. “I am fine. I was worried because I cannot manage to lose you and you keep taking all kinds of stupid decisionswithout asking me about them and I can’t keep on like this Rin!” he ends up in a sob, falling against Rin’s chest and Rin can’t help but to gather him between his arms, still trying to process everything and kicking himself mentally because they are a team, he’s been terribly selfish and even worse, he hadn’t noticed Nitori cared too.

They stand at the door barely holding themselves up until Nitori’s sobs fade out.

“I can’t help to react like that because I wasn’t expecting it Rin, and don’t give me the martyr way out. I know you, Matsuoka. I know you care but are scared of showing it.”

And Rin laughs and hugs him harder, because yeah, he’s a fucking coward.

“I’m sorry.”

“You won’t do it again” Nitori says, face lifting so he can see into Rin’s eyes and for a moment, Rin doesn’t care anymore if he loses himself in Nitori’s eyes. So he nods.

“I promise.”

“Good.” The shortest man answers with a faint smile, reaching forwards and kissing Rin softly, a sigh dying in the back of Rin’s throat  before he takes Nitori’s waist between his arms and deepens the kiss, relief flowing through every muscle in his body and making him feel complete.

Until Nitori’s hand presses on a bruise in his shoulder and he breaks the kiss in a pained grunt, smiling through his wince when Nitori starts laughing and walks towards the bathroom, muttering something about putting some ice on the bruises and making a full body check with more ease.

Rin can’t say he’s not amused and tempted by the offer, so he locks the door behind him and starts taking his shirt off before joining his lover, because he’s tired, and Nitori knows how to take care of him.

Because he’ll try his best to take care of Ai too.


End file.
